Technical Field
This invention relates to a safety connection device that opens automatically when a tensile force greater than a threshold value is applied to it.
Description of the Related Art
As an advantage, the threshold tensile force that can trigger the opening of the device is adjustable. Moreover, according to the invention, the device is reusable and can be reconnected.
This device can, for example, be used while practicing horseback riding or when taking care of horses or other animals, which must be attached to a fixed point.
In fact, when a horse is attached to a fixed point, especially by using a lanyard or a rope attached to a ring fixed in the wall, it sometimes “pulls backwards.” This situation usually occurs when the horse is frightened for some reason and begins to panic. It then brutally throws itself back and pulls on the clip with all its strength to cut loose.
In this state of panic, the horse can get seriously injured and up to the point where it can rupture its cervical if we do not release it at once. Now, while pulling backwards, the horse tightens the knots that hold it to the ring, making any attempt at release impossible. The only solution then is to cut the rope as quickly as possible.
However, if such a situation occurs when there is no one around or it happens in front of people who do not have knives or who cannot cut the rope fast enough since it is generally very strong and difficult to cut, the consequences can be serious.
To solve this problem, different solutions have been proposed in the prior art.
For example there are elastic devices, called elastic lanyards, that are interposed between the halter of the horse and the ring attached to the wall, and which increases in length as the horse pulls back.
However, using such elastic ropes can be very dangerous to the animal. In fact, in some cases it happens that the horse, after being abruptly pulled back, finds itself propelled forward through elastic reaction and hits the wall violently with its head. Such shock can cause irreversible damage to the animal, sometimes even kill it.
Connecting devices have also been proposed in the prior art, which break automatically when the pull of the horse is greater than the breaking strength value. This can, for example, be a simple weaker cord, interposed between the lanyard of the horse and the ring fixed in the wall, as also more sophisticated anti-panic devices.
While such devices solve the technical problem by automatically releasing the horse to prevent it from hurting itself, they nevertheless have a number of disadvantages.
These devices typically operate by the breaking of an element having the weakest resistance. They are therefore destroyed on use and cannot be put back in place and reused thereafter.
Furthermore, the strength required for safety opening of the device is only approximately known and cannot be changed. It cannot be adjusted to suit the situation, especially the strength, age or weight of the horse.
Finally, these devices are mostly made of metal and can hurt the animal, because after the device breaks, the piece connected to the lanyard of the animal may strike it violently due to panicked, abrupt and disorderly movements of the animal.
For all these reasons it would be desirable to have a safety connector that is efficient, reusable, adjustable and safe for the animal.
This is the objective that the invention proposes to achieve.